(Montreal) Labor Minister Seamus O’Regan gave a federal mediator 24 hours to send him “a written recommendation on the terms of the agreement” to end the British Columbia port strike that blocked goods at some 30 ports and sparked fears of supply chain chaos across Canada.
Mr O’Regan said in a statement on Tuesday evening that the gap between the positions of the employers and the port workers’ union in the 11-day strike is ‘not sufficient to justify the continuation of the work stoppage “.
He said that once he receives the terms from the mediator, he will forward them to both parties and they will have another 24 hours to decide whether or not to “recommend the ratification of these terms to their terms of reference.”
About 7,400 members of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) Canada in Vancouver have been on strike since 1er July. They are demonstrating for protections against outsourcing and automation, as well as higher wages.
The strike, now in its second week, is beginning to affect business operations in Canada.
BLAIR GABLE PHOTO, REUTERS ARCHIVES
Labor Minister Seamus O’Regan
For example, Nutrien announced on Tuesday that it had cut production at its Cory potash mine due to the Port of Vancouver workers’ strike and warned that if the work stoppage continues, it could affect its other potash mines. in Saskatchewan.
The company says the strike resulted in the loss of export capacity through Canpotex’s Neptune terminal.
Nutrien Chief Executive Ken Seitz urged both sides of the labor dispute to reach a speedy resolution.
Minister O’Regan said a good deal is “at hand” for both the union and the BC Maritime Employers Association.
He reiterated that it was in the interests of all parties that an agreement be reached as soon as possible.
“The scale of this disruption shows how important the relationship between (the BC Maritime Employers Association) and the ILWU is to our national interest,” O’Regan wrote in the shared statement. on Twitter.
“We cannot allow this work stoppage to continue and risk further deteriorating relations between these parties. »
A costly strike
Speaking at a meeting of Canadian premiers in Winnipeg, British Columbia, Prime Minister David Eby said on Tuesday the group was united in their desire to see the strike resolved as soon as possible.
“It’s impacting the cost of living for people across the country because goods are getting more expensive because imports aren’t available and it’s really the worst time for that,” he said. .
“We also know that in British Columbia, where the port is located, port workers have seen their costs rise, just like everyone else. »
Mr. Eby argued that workers should be treated with respect.
“And what we want is a long-term agreement that will last and that will prevent disruptions like this from happening in the future. And those kinds of deals are made at the negotiating table,” he said.
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith is among those pushing Ottawa to implement back-to-work legislation to end the strike.
Mme Smith pointed out that this was going to have a huge impact on supply chains.
“We are learning that our producers have to close and reduce production. I hear this in all fields, whether in agriculture or in oil,” said Ms.me Smith.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford estimated the strike is costing his province $160 million a day. He said he wanted the federal government to “stop this.”
“We have to move. I am all for supporting frontline workers, but you can’t hold the whole country hostage,” he said.
Mr. Ford said he wanted a fair deal for workers, taxpayers and consumers. “We need to make sure this strike is over, work together and start moving these goods around our country. »
Businesses worried
Polling results released Tuesday by the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) found that 53% of business owners believe the strike will affect their business. Three-quarters of companies are also calling on the federal government to pass back-to-work legislation to quickly end the strike.
Business owners have expressed concerns about critical shipments stuck in port and delivery delays needed to complete projects on time.
“Supply chains have only just begun to recover from the disruption caused by the pandemic, so many businesses will feel this latest setback even harder,” CFIB President Dan Kelly said in a statement. Press.
“We hear from members across the country who are concerned about missing critical sales, delaying production or orders, or not being able to get their products to export markets due to the strike. The federal government must step in and restart shipping as quickly as possible. »
But those who claim longshoremen “are greedy and resistant to change” while advocating back-to-work legislation are wrong, according to the author of a new report that backs the argument made by workers that work is not the source of rising costs in the industry.
The study by economist Jim Stanford, director of the Center for Future Work in Vancouver, indicates that hourly wages for longshoremen are similar to wages for other skilled industrial jobs.
But under the current pay-as-you-go system, stevedores work precarious hours and have to wait several years to qualify for benefits.
Mr. Stanford said that in recent years wages in the sector have lagged behind the rising cost of living in British Columbia, with the real purchasing power of longshoremen’s wages having fallen by 2.5% since 2017.
“Clearly, labor is not the source of rising shipping costs and the resulting inflation,” said Stanford, whose study was commissioned by the ‘ILWU Canada, the union representing the striking workers.
Stanford noted that the world’s six largest shipping companies control 70% of global shipping, giving them influence over prices and practices. He said public financial information is available for five of these companies, which made more than $100 billion in profit last year.
“The greed of shippers and terminal operators, who took advantage of an economic and health emergency to fatten their profits, is the source of the problem,” he concludes in his study.
“It is their resistance to change – in particular, opposing more stable and efficient means of supporting training, skills and stability in logging work – that is the only obstacle to a speedy resolution. »
Mr O’Regan said in his statement that the two sides “have worked long and hard to broker a deal”.
“It’s in everyone’s interest – the employer, the union and all Canadians – that they agree to this agreement as soon as possible,” he said.
With information from Dirk Meissner, Ashley Joannou, Allison Jones and Colette Derworiz, The Canadian Press